Gravity carburetor



April 22, 1958 G. s. CHANTLAND 2,831,472

GRAVITY CARBURETOR Filed April 23, 1956 IIII \I Gilbert 5. Chant/and INVENTOR.

United States Patent O GRAVITY CARBURETOR Gilbert S. Chantland, Tama, Iowa Application April 23, 1956, Serial No. 579,922

Claims. (Cl. 123-123) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in carburetors, andmore specifically to a gravity type carburetor.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a carburetor which is of an extremely simple construction and which is so constructed whereby the fuel is fed into the engine in direct response from an accelerator control and is not dependent upon the vacuum of the engine for the supplying of fuel thereby eliminating the wasting of fuel which normally occurs during a high vacuum period of the engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved carburetor which is of the gravity type, the carburetor including primarily an intake manifold having an air intake which is controlled by a conventional butterfly and a fuel control valve which is of an extremely simple construction whereby the manufacture of the gravity carburetor is economically feasible.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved gravity carburetor which supplies fuel by gravity to an intake manifold air intake, the gravity carburetor including a control linkage which has positioned therein an engine speed controlled governor whereby the gravity carburetor is actuated both by a foot accelerator and by the speed of the engine on which it is mounted.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved fuel control valve assembly for use in. conjunction with a gravity carburetor, the fuel control valve assembly including a tubular valve member having a circumferential slot therein whereby the passage of fuel through the valve member may be readily varied by rotating the valve member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gravity carburetor of the type which includes a fuel control valve assembly and an intake manifold, there being disposed between the fuel control valve assembly and the intake manifold an exhaust manifold, a fuel line between the fuel control valve assembly and the intake manifold passing through the exhaust manifold so as to preheat the fuel.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an internal combustion engine having mounted thereon the gravity carburetor which is the subject of this invention, there also being illustrated accelerator linkage and a fuel supply tank:

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the various components of the carburetor and the controls therefor; V a

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the fuel control valve assembly and shows the specific details of the construction thereof; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sec- 2 tional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 1 andshows further the details of the fuel control valve assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will-be seen that there is illustrated in Figure 1 an internal combustion engine which is referred to by reference numeral-10. The internal combustion engine 10 is of the conventional type and as is illustrated, it is a four cylinder engine. The mechanical details of the internal combustion engine 10 are similar to other internal combustion engines and only those details which are specifically varied for use.

in conjunction with the present invention willbeset forth in more detail hereinafter. g;

The internal combustion engine 10 includes a lower intake manifold 12 having a generally horizontal airin take 14. Mounted in the air intake 14 for controlling the flow of air therethrough is a butterfly 16 which is, mounted on a shaft 18. e Positioned above the intake manifold 12 is an exhaust manifold 20. Seated on the exhaust manifold 20 is a fuel control valve assembly which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 22, the fuel control valve assembly 22 forming a major part of the gravity carburetor which is the subject of this invention. The internal combustion engine 18 has also. been modified to include an engine speed controlled governor 24 which is driven by a fan belt 26 of the internal combustion engine 10.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 in particular, it will be seen that the fuel control valve assembly 22 includes a vertically disposed tubular housing 28 having a vertical bore 30 therethrough. Closing the lower end of the housing 28 is a fitting 32 which connects to the housing 28 a fuel outlet line 34, the upper end of the fuel outlet line 34 communicating with the bore 30.

Extending upwardly and outwardly from the bore 30in the lower part of the housing 28 is a fuel inlet passage 36. Closing the outer end of the fuel inlet passage 36 is a fitting38 which secures to the housing 28 a fuel supply line 40 whose lower end is in'communication with the fuel inlet passage 36. t

Referring now to Figure 1 once again,-it will be seen that there is provided a fuel supply tank 42 which is disposed above the level of the fuel control valve assembly 22. The fuel supply line 40 is conncctedto the bottom of the fuel supply tank 42 for receiving fuel therefrom. Be-

cause of the elevated position of the fuel supply tank 42,

fuel is gravity supplied to the fuel control valve assembly 22 and the fuel supply line '40 remains pressurized. Mounted in the fuel supply line 40 is a shut-offvalve 44 to prevent the flow of fuel when the internal combustion engine 18 is not running.

t The upper end of the housing 28 is closed by a fitting 46. Extending downwardly through the fitting 46 and into the bore 30 is a tubular valve member 48. The upper end of the tubular valve member 48 has connected thereto a control arm 50. The tubular valve member 48 is're-" tained in the housing 28 by a retaining screw 52 which is carried by a two-piece arm 54. The arm 54 includes a lower part 56 rigidly secured to the housing 28; An

upper part 58 is pivotally connected to the lower part56- by means of a pivot pin 60. A lock pin 62 is also pro-- vided to rigidly connect the parts 56 and 58. .WhenQthe pin 62 is removed, the upper part 58 may be pivoted to an out of the way position to permit the removal of the valve {member 48.

The valve member 48 is provided with. a circumferen;

Patentecl- Apr. 22, 1958 be noted that the slot 64 is generally triangular in outline so that the passage of fuel through the valve member 48 may be more readily controlled.

As is best illustrated in Figure 1, the fuel outlet line 34 extends down through the exhaust manifold 20. Thus fuel entering into the intake manifold 12 is preheated by the heat of the exhaust manifold and is in fact vaporized so that a vapor enters into the air intake 14.

In order to control the gravity carburetor, which is the subject of this invention, there is provided a suitable linkage which includes an accelerator pedal 65. The acceler ator pedal is connected to a crank 66 having remote ends 68 and 70. The end 70 has connected thereto a link 72whoSe opposite end is connected to a bell crank 74. The bell crank 74 is connected by a link 76 to a control arm 78 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 18 for rotating the butterfly 16.

Connected to the end 68 of the crank, 66 is a link 80 which is in turn connected to a control arm 82 of the governor 24; The governor 24 includes a control arm 84 Whose movement is responsive to both the movement of the control arm 82 and the speed of the internal combustion engine 10 as transmitted to the governor 24 through the fan belt 26. Extending between the control arm 84 and the control arm 50 of the fuel control valve assembly 22 is a link 86.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that when the accelerator pedal 64 is depressed, the butterfly 16 will be moved to an open position to permit a greater amount of air to enter into the intake manifold 12. At the same time, the control arm 50 will be rotated so as to permit a greater flow of fuel through the fuel control valve assembly 22 down into the intake manifold 12. It will be readily apparent that the control linkage for the fuel control valve assembly 22 is such that the quantity of fuel supplied the intake manifold 12 is directly proportional to the engines demand for peak efiiciency and that fuel is not called for by the engine 10 when it is not required', asis the case of the type of carburetor now in use. Further, when it is desired to obtain a maximum acceleration or maximum power, it is merely necessary to depress the accelerator 64 which will result in the instantaneous supplying of a larger quantity of fuel.

Although it has not been specifically illustrated, if it is desired to assure an even flow of fuel to both halves of the intake manifold 12, a suitable divider may be provided. However, it is believed that the fuel entering into the manifold 12 will be thoroughly mixed with the incoming air and that'such a divider will not be necessary. It is also pointed out that if it is desired, the govmay beprovided. The cooling means may be in the form of a water jacket disposed about the main part of the fuel control valve assembly 22, as is best illustrated in Figure 3. -The water jacket 90 has a water supply line 92 which is connected to the engine 10 and a water return line 94 for returning water to the cooling system of the engine 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a gravity carburetor, a fuel control valve assem- 4 bly comprising a tubular housing having a vertical bore, a gravity type fuel outlet line in communication with the lower end of said bore, a pressurized fuel supply line connected to said housing and opening into said bore, a tubular valve member rotatably mounted in said bore, a circumferential slot in said valve member aligned with said fuel supply line, said tubular valve member having an open lower end for supplying fuel to said gravity type fuel outlet line, and control means for rotating said valve member to control the flow of fuel through said valve member.

2. In a gravity carburetor, a fuel control valveassembly comprising a tubular housing having a vertical bore, a fuel outlet line in communication with the lower end of said bore, a pressurized fuel supply line connected to said housing and opening into said bore, a tubular valve member rotatably mounted in said bore, a circumferential slot in said valve member aligned with said fuel supply line, control means for rotating said valve member to control the flow of fuel through said valve member, said control means including accelerator linkage, an engine speed controlled governor positioned in said accelerator linkage.

3. In a gravity carburetor, a fuel control valve assembly comprising a tubular housing having a vertical bore, a fuel outlet line in communication with the lower end of said bore, a pressurized fuel supply line connected to said housing and opening into said bore, a tubular valve member rotatably mounted in said bore, a circumferential slot in said valve member aligned with said fuel supply line, control means for rotating said valve member to control the flow of fuel through said valve member, said control means including an engine speed controlled governor.

4. A gravity carburetor comprising an intake manifold having an air inlet, and a fuel control valve assembly including a tubular housing having a vertical bore, a fuel outlet line in communication with the lower end of said bore, the opposite end of said fuel outlet line being positioned in said air inlet, a pressurized fuel supply line connected to said housing and opening into said bore, a tubular valve member rotatably mounted in said bore, a circumferential slot in said valve member aligned with said fuel supply line, control means for rotating said valve member to control the flow of fuel through said valve member, a butterfly controlling flow of air through said air inlet, linkage connecting said control means and said butterfly, said control means including an engine speed controlled governor.

5. A gravity carburetor comprising an intake manifold having an air inlet, and a fuel control valve assembly including a tubular housing having a vertical bore, a fuel outlet line in communication with the lower end of said bore, the opposite end of said fuel outlet line being positioned in said air inlet, a pressurized fuel supply line con nected to said housing and opening into said bore, a tubular valve member rotatably mounted in said fuel supply line, control means for'rotating said valve member to control the flow of fuel through said valve member, a butterfly controlling flow of air through said air inlet, linkage connecting said control means and said butterfly, an exhaust manifold disposed between said fuel control valve assembly and said intake manifold, said fuel outlet line extending through said exhaust manifold for preheating fuel prior to entry into said intake manifold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain June 19, 1930 

